This invention relates to explosives and more particularly high energy organic explosives.
The synthesis of 2-fluoro-2,2-dinitroethylchloroformate, (NO.sub.2).sub.2 FCCH.sub.2 OC(O)Cl, for use as an intermediate in preparation of energetic compounds was reported by J. P. Senet and C. Ucciani in a French patent (Fr. Demande 2,337,228; May 6, 1977). A limitation of 2-fluoro-2,2-dinitroethylchloroformate is that energetic derivatives from this intermediate do not generally have unusually high densities or oxidant balances. For energetic materials, density is a critical property since the performance of the material is proportional to the square of its density. The oxidant balance of an energetic material is also an important property since energetic plasticizers and explosives with high oxidant balance are preferable for use in explosive formulations (essentially all explosive formulations are fuel rich and extra oxidant will produce additional energy).
Therefore it would be desirable to provide new explosives having higher densities and energies and also higher oxidant balances.